The present invention relates to the manufacture of portable electrical energy generation equipment. In particular, the invention relates to design and manufacture of portable fuel cells and portable fuel cell components.
A fuel cell electrochemically combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity. To date, fuel cells are only commercially available in large-scale applications such as automobiles and industrial size generators for electrical power back up. Consumer electronics devices and other portable electrical power applications currently rely on lithium ion and similar battery technologies. Fuel cell systems that generate electrical energy for portable applications such as electronics offer extended usage sessions, would be desirable, but are still in development and not yet commercially available.
Portable fuel cells are currently encountering difficulties transitioning from lab prototypes to consumer ready products. Manufacturing realities—such as cost, product reliably, and manufacturing precision and repeatability—are obstructing the evolution of portable fuel cells into viable commercial products. Portable fuel cell designs and manufacturing techniques that promote reliable and cost effective mass production of fuel cells, and their components, would be beneficial.